The Steelers have several questions to answer in the offseason. What do you think is the order of needs on our club for next season? And who do you think has their job no matter what happens in the offseason? Who should be replaced?I think that the most important thing to do is get Ben signed to a long term contract sooner than later. This is gonna take franchise record spending but it will be worth it all for our future. But are we happy with the backups that we have for him? Batch is getting old and are we trusting in St.Pierre to put the game in his hands? I dont think so.At RB... I think that Willie is our man, but we still need to get us some young powerful legs behind him that can take the load off. I just dont think that Davenport is the man for this job. I would love to see someone like Marion Barber here next year. He is a Unrestricted Free Agent at the end of the season ya know.. Or maybe Ray Rice from Rutgers in the upcoming draft.

marion is a restricted free agent elvis... at least i think.... how ever you definitely know what your talking about when you say get willie some young powerful legs and resign ben... another option is going for an OT and OG back to back in rounds 1 nd 2.... before i would have never liked that but now i have come to my senses... guys like michael oher and eric young could do a world of good for our team...

Thats a tricky thing because order of needs and draft order isnt always the same thing.

For instance....Center is obviously a huge need...but I wouldnt use anything more thatn a 4th round pick on center based on who is coming out this year and the difference in talent between projected 2-3 round centers and 4-5 round centers. In the 4th or 5th rounds we can probably get Doug Legursky from Marshall or Fernando Velasco from Georgia.

as far as "Needs":

1) Tackle-HUGE need and should be addressed in FA and the draft
2) Center- Mahan is not the answer (obviously)
3) Defensive End (Lack of quality depth became obvious when Smith went down
4) Guard- Still think that we can move Colon inside but depth needs to be addressed
5) Inside Linebacker- again, a depth issue
6) Cornerback- I like McFadden to a point, but if he cant unseat Deshea..we need to find a solid CB very soon.
8) Wide Reciever-we need a legit 3rd reciever that may someday be a #2...although I have appreciated Washingtons efforts this year..neither he nor ...Wilson...are #2 reciever material.

Now Draft order:

1) Tackle- Oher from Ole Miss could start next year at RT
2) CB- If we want quality at the position ..we are going to have to get it on day one.
3) Guard- there are several legit guards in the upcoming draft that will be there in the third round.
4) Center or DE- As I said above...Legursky or Velasco should be here and BOTH are better than Mahan.
5) DE or Center- Not a DE/DT tweener either...but a legit DE.
6) dont have one this year
7) Special Teamer- find a return man or positional project player who is a special team demon

Also keep in mind that any of those positions drop if we can find good players in FA...and the remaining positions rise...

Nice threads everyone... Thanks Themightyex for taking care of me. I agree fansince... Center is definitely a major need in my opinion. Mahan has not done the job from the very beginning. I know some are gonna get on me for this one.. but I think that we should resign Max Starks and let him have his chance at LT. The man played well there while he was in there at that spot, but I also think that Essex did a fine job saturday night and the week before. I also think that LOT is a huge spot that has to be filled somewhere no matter where it comes from. I think that the true DE must be found as well... I wouldnt mind seeing a MLB taken early as well, because unless they are planning on moving Timmons in there to take Farriors' place in the next couple years... Foote just doesnt make plays like he did 2 years ago.

6) Cornerback- I like McFadden to a point, but if he cant unseat Deshea..we need to find a solid CB very soon

what do u think of adressing a freeagent CB... the talent isn't great out there but it's a little better then gay, and mcfadden... i've been pimping deangelo hall for awhile now and i'd like to see him in a steeler uniform... what do u think?

what do u think of adressing a freeagent CB... the talent isn't great out there but it's a little better then gay, and mcfadden... i've been pimping deangelo hall for awhile now and i'd like to see him in a steeler uniform... what do u think?

With any Free agents, I think we are going to have to stay away from players like Hall....I dont think we can afford a top-tier player like him who play a skill position, and still restructure the contracts of the players we have...Like Ben and Troys.
Exactly the same reason that I would like to pick up a WR like Justin Gage. Bryant Johnson is the best Free Agent Wr who may be available but getting him would be like getting Hall.....probably at the expense of players we would want to keep.
We may be able to get a respectable back like Drayton Florence, but I'm still not sure if our need matches his monetary expectations..I would rather look in the draft.

i would like to get a good tall wr to play the #3 spot.. i think we could get some good mismatch's there... maybe malcom floyd could be a good pick-up
for rb i would have to say that either barber or jones will be out of Dallas since both of there contracts are up.... other rb's that i could see us picking up could be chris brwon from ten, or derrick ward from the g-men since they alrdy have jacobs and droughns
d-line would be nice to see jared allan.. i know he is expensive and i doubt we could get him but i am saying it would be nice to see him in a steelers jersey...

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